| To practice massage therapy in most states | | | | authorities before setting up a practice to |
| requires certification from the National | | | | see if there are any other necessary |
| Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage | | | | prerequisites or regulations to be met. For |
| and Bodywork (NCBTMB); many states also | | | | instance, some states require CMTs to take |
| require certified massage therapists to be | | | | periodic continuing education in massage |
| licensed. There are hundreds of good | | | | practices. The administrators and instructors |
| accredited massage therapy schools across the | | | | at the best massage therapy schools are often |
| US and Canada that can train you to pass | | | | a good resource to help students through this |
| exams for certification in massage therapy. | | | | process. |
| | | | |
| When people talk about earning certificates | | | | In short, there are few professions that |
| and diplomas, they do not mean the same thing | | | | offer such great personal rewards as those of |
| as gaining massage therapy certification. It | | | | the natural healer; becoming a nationally |
| is possible to get massage therapy | | | | certified massage therapist is one of the |
| certificates after a number of hours of | | | | best ways to prove expertise in natural |
| training in one specific area of massage, but | | | | healing. If you would like to find the best |
| still not be legally qualified to practice in | | | | training in your area, select a few schools |
| many states. There are several very | | | | or colleges from our website and contact them |
| deliberate steps required before one can | | | | today to see if they can help you to qualify |
| become a certified massage therapist (CMT), | | | | for massage therapy certification. |
| and almost every state has its own laws and | | | | |
| regulations to follow. | | | | DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and |
| | | | may or may not reflect specific practices, |
| The NCBTMB requires that candidates acquire a | | | | courses and/or services associated with ANY |
| minimum number of 500 hours of training from | | | | ONE particular school(s) that is or is not |
| an approved massage school (accredited by the | | | | advertised on |
| US Department of Education or approved by the | | | | |
| state of practice); required education must | | | | Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by Media |
| include 125 hours of body systems, anatomy, | | | | Positive Communications, Inc. |
| physiology and kinesiology; 200 hours of | | | | |
| massage and bodywork assessment, theory and | | | | Notice: Publishers are free to use this |
| application; 40 hours of pathology; 10 hours | | | | article on an ezine or website, provided the |
| of business and ethics, including at least 6 | | | | article is reprinted in its entirety, |
| hours of ethics; and 125 hours of additional | | | | including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL |
| instruction. The candidate must then pass the | | | | links remain intact and active. |
| NCBTMB exam to prove competency in practical | | | | |
| skills (hands-on) as well as knowledge and | | | | Author Resource Box: Michael Bustamante is a |
| understanding of professional massage | | | | staff writer for Media Positive |
| practices. | | | | Communications, Inc. Find training for |
| | | | Massage Therapy Certification, as well as |
| Once the candidate has received | | | | Schools, Colleges, Universities, Online |
| certification, it is then important to secure | | | | Schools, and Vocational Schools at |
| a massage therapy license (if licensure is | | | | SchoolsGalore.com, your resource for higher |
| required in the state of practice). It is | | | | education. |
| also essential to check with local | | | | |